Ephesians
PART 3: EPHESIANS 1:15-23
PART 3: EPHESIANS 1:15-23
[Note: Our class got thrown off its normal routine and, as a result, I did not record the lesson. Later in the week I was able to record the lesson that I taught]
About six years ago our class studied the book of Ephesians. My approach this time is slightly different than it was then. I want us to take our time and really absorb the deep truths contained in this book. It is a deep book. It is filled with important biblical doctrine. Paul wrote this letter to the church at Ephesus and to churches in the nearby towns. There are several things to bear in mind as we go through this letter. First, this was not just any church. Paul had a special relationship with the people in this church. Second, Paul’s words are not just his opinion. They are words that I believe were inspired by the Holy Spirit. And third, Paul’s basic theology is that he is Christocentric; in other words, Christ-centered in his doctrine. All of these things are evident as we go through Ephesians.
The passage we are going to cover this morning is relatively short. It is only 9 verses. There is nothing new here, nothing earth-shattering. No new revelation. You have probably heard most of this before. But I think that what we read over the next 20 to 30 minutes or so as we finish Chapter 1 is worth being reminded of.
Paul’s close ties to the believers at Ephesus is easy to understand. He is the one who started this church. We see that in Acts Chapter 18. And we know later, from Acts Chapter 19, that Paul spent three years personally ministering to this church. He knew these believers very well. His final farewell to the church leaders is recorded in Acts Chapter 20. It is one of the most moving passages in the Bible. Paul is returning to Jerusalem on his third missionary journey and his ship docks in the port city of Miletus. That is about 20 miles or so from Ephesus. While his ship is docked, Paul sends a message to Ephesus requesting that the church leaders come down to Miletus to meet with him. Wasting no time, they went. V 18 to 35 of Acts 20 record Paul’s conversation with the Ephesian leaders. He exhorts and he encourages them.
When he is finished, Paul knelt down and prayed with them. This is in Acts 20 and v 37… “And there was much weeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul and kissed him, being sorrowful most of all because of the word he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship” (Acts 20:37-38). So, Paul knows this is the last time he was going to see these beloved brothers. It is a very heart-warming farewell. Like I said, he had an especially close bond with this church. He loved them dearly and he misses them.
Several years has passed since this last farewell to the church. Many new converts have been added to the church at Ephesus and other churches in the area have been started. The reports that Paul has been hearing about this church are good. He is very encouraged by the news. So, this prompts Paul (who is now a prisoner in Rome) to sit down and write them a letter. It is this letter that we are studying right now that we call “the book of Ephesians.”
Let’s go ahead and pick it up in Ephesians Ch 1 and v 15…
READ Ephesians 1:15-16
Paul is thankful for two things that he has heard from the Ephesian believers. First, is their faith in Jesus. Their faith is based on the sound doctrine that Paul first taught them. What we believe about Jesus is vitally important. False teachers were prevalent back then just like they are today. But the church at Ephesus rejected the many false teachings about Jesus. They held firmly to the truth that Paul had preached to them. This continues to be the church’s legacy over the next 40 years. In His message to the church at Ephesus in Revelation Chapter 2, the Lord Jesus commends the church at Ephesus, this same church, for their commitment to the truth and not being led astray by false teachers. This remarkable church held firmly to their faith in Jesus.
The second thing that Paul expresses his thanks for is their love toward each other. The church at Ephesus had their act together. They showed Christian love. I believe that healthy and thriving churches will exhibit these two characteristics – adhering to sound doctrine and a love for each other. I pray that this continues to be our experience here in our church.
So, Paul is thankful for these believers and he regularly prays for them. In v 16 he says, “I do not cease” to give thanks and to pray for you. It struck me when I read those words that what Paul is doing is precisely what WE should be doing. We ought to pray regularly for each other. I know I need your prayers. As your teacher, I need your prayers. And we need each other’s prayers. Whenever certain individuals come to your mind, lift them up in prayer. Pray for me. Pray for your pastor. Pray for each other.
V 17… Notice what Paul prays for. Paul prays…
READ Ephesians 1:17
Paul prays here for wisdom and “revelation in the knowledge of Him.” In other words, Paul prays that these believers will attain a deeper understanding of God – the kind of understanding that can come only from the Holy Spirit’s illumination. Remember, when Paul is writing this letter in 61 A.D. or so, the New Testament had not been written yet. Less than half of the New Testament books had been penned and they were not yet in circulation. So, this church relied heavily on the doctrine that Paul had taught them years before. We have a huge advantage today over the Ephesian believers. We have the entire canon of scripture – both Old and New Testament – readily available to us in all kinds of various translations.
So, let me ask you something. Can you and I learn about God without the Holy Spirit? You may be thinking this is a trick question. What answer does the teacher want? Well, the answer is “yes.” We can learn things about God by reading His word. We see things about God in His creation. Paul talks about that in Romans Chapter 1. We can see His hand at work in the various events of our lives and in the lives of other people. So, we can certainly gain some knowledge, some intellectual ascent, and recognize some of God’s attributes. But, let me tell you, the Holy Spirit is the One who gives us wisdom and FULL understanding. He is the One who reveals the character of God and God’s plan for us personally. It is this deeper level of insight that Paul prays. Not just that we have a head knowledge, but a heart knowledge. To really know and experience God, the way that Paul did.
Let me give you a great verse about the role of the Holy Spirit in this regard. First Corinthians 2:9 says, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him.” This is a quote from the book of Isaiah. In other words, Paul’s point is that human reasoning and knowledge can only take you so far. But then Paul adds this in v 10: “But it was to us that God revealed these things by His Spirit [speaking of the Holy Spirit]. For His Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets.” God can certainly use good preachers and teachers, even average ones, but it is the Holy Spirit that gives us a deeper insight.
Let’s go back to the passage, v 18…
READ Ephesians 1:18
The Holy Spirit reveals that God has a great and glorious plan for those of us who have committed our lives to Jesus. He calls them “the saints.” He chose us. He has called us. As a result, we are a people with a purpose and hope. We have a very bright future in front of us.
In the last part of v 18 he says that we, the saints, are HIS inheritance. To God, we have exceedingly great value. He has big plans for us. So that’s our future, and it is certainly glorious. And that is wonderful news. But you may ask, “what about right now?” That takes us to v 19…
READ Ephesians 1:19
Right now, today, the power of God is available for us because of the Holy Spirit in us. Now, that is not unlimited power to be used for whatever we want. There is a purpose for this power. It is to carry out the Great Commission. In Acts 1:8 (Jesus’s final words before He ascends back to heaven), He is talking to His disciples and He says, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Of course, we know that happens at Pentecost. If we are going to be effective witnesses, if we are going to successfully carry out the Great Commission, we need God’s power. Jesus knew that. Philippians 2:13 says, “For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” So, we need God’s power, not only to be the witnesses that we need to be, but to do His will. His power can accomplish far more in us than anything we could do on our own. I have heard a lot of my Christian brothers and sisters say, “I don’t know if I can do that” or “I can’t do that.” They are right. They can’t. I can’t. You can’t. But the power of God that resides in us, that we have full access to right now, that power CAN!
My wife and I have been enjoying this App that we have at home. We ask a question, just about anything, and it gives us an answer. The other day my wife asked it about a recipe and I asked about the Mavericks score. This device that we have, it told her, it gave her the recipe and told me the Mavs score. I was not surprised to find out that they lost. Do you realize that as believers we have something far greater than that inside of us? We have the Holy Spirit. We can ask Him to give us wisdom for important decisions. We can request insights into the treasury of God and into His Word. We can ask Him to show us God’s will for our life. “If anybody lacks wisdom, let him ask God…” (James 1:5). Now, while He may not give us an answer immediately and not in an audible voice, not necessarily unless He is speaking through somebody. He will give me an answer when we need it.
Paul now offers us a great example of God’s power in action. Look at v 20. Paul says that God’s power, His great might…
READ Ephesians 1:20-21
This reminds me a lot of Philippians Chapter 1. So, think about it. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to us, His saints. Do you realize that the power of God can make dead people live? How many of you all knew that? Well, that is exactly what happens when people get saved. People who were dead in their trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1), are made alive in Christ! You and I can’t make any dead person live. But, through our sharing of the truth of the Gospel and the Holy Spirit’s convicting work, we can.
It seems like every time Paul preaches or makes some spiritual point, no matter what he is talking about in his letters, he always winds up right back to talking about the greatness and supremacy of Jesus. Like I said, he Christo-centric in his theology. Like Paul, we need to remain focused on Jesus! Jesus has already conquered death, hell and the grave. He has defeated Satan. Satan knows it. It is just a matter of time. And because Jesus is the Conqueror – Romans says that “in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37) – we Christians have no reason to worry or to fear because greater is He that is in us (the Holy Spirit) than He who is in the world (the devil). How many of you believe that? Do you really believe that?
READ Ephesians 1:22-23
Jesus reigns supreme over everything including the church, the body of believers universal. Here he is talking about the church globally. He is the Head of the church. Not the pope, Christ. We fall under His authority. We live for Him. Jesus is everything to the church, He is the fullness of the church. He fills all in all.
Now, I want to point something out that maybe you have not thought about. I guess it is obvious if you think about it. Paul uses the metaphor of the church as being the body of Christ and Christ as the Head. It is certainly true the way I have heard said it over and over again -- that a body needs the head to survive. But likewise, think about it, the head needs the body. We are vitally important to Jesus. He is the Head and we are His body. We are the means by which He chose to carry the gospel message to the ends of the earth. Angels were not tasked with carrying the gospel. Seraphim were not given that responsibility. People were. We were.
So, let me close this lesson with a question. Here it is: When you were saved (think about it, way back when), did you get all of Jesus OR is there more to come? Well, let me answer that for you. You got all of Jesus.
Earlier in Ephesians we read that we have been blessed “in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 1:3). Not just some spiritual blessings in Christ, but EVERY spiritual blessing. And then in Colossians we read that we have been “filled in Him [in Christ], who is the head of all rule and authority” (Colossians 2:10). Just like it says at the end of v 23. We have been FILLED in Him. The Bible says that we got all of Jesus! Praise the Lord!
My prayer for all of us in this class, including myself, is that we will recognize all that is ours in Jesus, what is in our spiritual bank account, how rich we are in Christ. That is the whole purpose of this study. And that by knowing that, our joy will overflow into every area of our life.
Next week we will get into Ephesians Chapter 2.